Privacy Counsel (Agency Attorney) – Surge Capacity

Role Overview

As Privacy Counsel, you will serve as a senior legal advisor on complex privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity matters for a New York City government agency. This role demands a seasoned attorney who can operate independently, advise senior leadership, and drive privacy initiatives across a large, multi-agency environment.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Advice & Counsel

• Provide expert legal advice on complex, sensitive, and urgent privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity matters related to agency priority initiatives
• Advise on federal, state, and local privacy laws and regulations impacting city agencies and citywide initiatives
• Prepare privacy impact assessments and advise on privacy implications of proposed technologies and data use initiatives

Policy & Legislation

• Shape, draft, and review privacy-related policies, legislation, and citywide guidance
• Monitor and analyze legislative and regulatory developments in privacy, data security, and cybersecurity; brief relevant stakeholders on impacts and required actions

Contracts & Agreements

• Draft, review, and negotiate MOUs, NDAs, data sharing agreements, terms of service, multi-agency data integration agreements, and related legal documents

Compliance & Training

• Develop policies, guidance materials, templates, presentations, and training documents to support agency compliance with privacy laws and regulations
• Design and deliver privacy-related training programs for government personnel

Stakeholder Engagement & Representation

• Represent agency leadership in national and international privacy organizations, interagency working groups, and senior-level meetings
• Manage relationships and drive intergovernmental affairs with executive offices, legislative bodies, and key government stakeholders on privacy matters
• Engage with the public on privacy matters, including panel participation and publications as directed by leadership

Strategic Support

• Prepare legal briefs and provide strategic advice to government officials and city leadership on privacy matters
• Handle special projects and initiatives as assigned by program leadership

Mandatory Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years of legal experience, including experience in government, intergovernmental affairs, or implementing and supporting an enterprise privacy program
• Admission to the New York State Bar, in good standing
• Active IAPP certification (e.g., CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT, or AIGP)
• Demonstrated, hands-on experience advising on complex U.S. privacy and data security laws (e.g., GDPR implications for U.S. entities, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, state breach notification laws, and relevant federal, state, and local statutes)
• Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating privacy-related legal documents including MOUs, NDAs, data sharing/processing agreements, and terms of service
• Track record developing organizational privacy policies, compliance materials, internal/external legal guidance, and templates
• Experience conducting or providing legal support for privacy impact assessments, data protection impact assessments, or similar privacy risk analyses
• Demonstrated ability advising on privacy and data security implications of emerging technologies, digital services, or data use initiatives
• Experience supporting implementation or operation of an enterprise-level privacy program
• Ability to monitor, analyze, and advise on privacy-related legislative and regulatory developments
• Proven ability to provide strategic legal counsel to senior leadership and executive-level stakeholders
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey complex legal and policy concepts to diverse audiences, including non-legal and technical stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within interdisciplinary teams (IT, policy, operations, legal) to develop and implement privacy solutions

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working as an attorney within a government agency (federal, state, or local), or providing extensive direct legal counsel to government agency clients
• In-house experience at a large, complex enterprise or highly regulated industry where policy, legal considerations, and operations frequently intersect

Job Type: Contract

Pay: $70.00 - $85.00 per hour

Expected hours: 35 per week

Experience:

• Legal counsel: 12 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• Good standing with New York State Bar: Required

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Brooklyn, NY